This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 98202017.4 filed Jun. 17, 1998.
The invention relates to an apparatus comprising control means for controlling a function of the apparatus in response to a user command, the apparatus being connectable to a peripheral and the control means being adapted to send a control command to the peripheral in response to said user command for controlling a similar function of the peripheral.
The invention further relates to a system comprising an apparatus and a peripheral, the apparatus comprising control means for controlling a function of the apparatus in response to a user command, the apparatus being connectable to the peripheral and the control means being adapted to send a control command to the peripheral in response to said user command for controlling a similar function of the peripheral.
The invention further relates to a method of controlling an apparatus and a peripheral, comprising the steps of controlling a function of the apparatus in response to a user command and sending a control command to the peripheral in response to said user command for controlling a similar function of the peripheral.
Audio and video systems are known which comprise audio and video devices, one of which is designated as the main device and the other ones as peripheral devices. For example, in a video system, the television receiver is designated as the main device, and devices such as a video recorder, a video disc player and a settop box are designated as peripheral devices. Each device has its own control means, e.g. a remote control unit, for controlling its functions in response to user commands. The main device often recognizes some commands for controlling functions of the system as a whole. For example, the remote control unit of a known television receiver comprises a button for putting all devices of the system in the standby state. Pressing said button instructs the television receiver to send control commands to invoke the standby function of the respective peripherals, after which the standby function of the television receiver itself is invoked. Beside a button for the system standby function, the remote control unit of the known television receiver has another button for invoking the standby function of the television receiver exclusively. The standby function is only one example of functions which are common to all devices, and which are regularly required to be accomplished on multiple devices simultaneously.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which enables a user to easily control whether a function is invoked either on the apparatus only or simultaneously on the apparatus and one or more of its peripherals, without the need for a duplicate control for each function. To achieve this object, the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the control means further comprise user operable means for assuming a first state and a second state, the control means being adapted to refrain from sending the control command in the first state and send the control command in the second state. By adding only one user control for selecting either the first or the second state, a whole range of functions can be accomplished on the apparatus only or simultaneously on the apparatus and one or more of its peripherals.
The selection of either the first or the second state can be accomplished in various ways. A straightforward approach would be a toggle for switching between the two states, both applying to subsequent user commands. In a preferred embodiment, as defined in claim 2, the first state is a default state. For assuming the second state, e.g. a dedicated button could be applied, which has to be pressed just before or after the button which actually controls the function to be accomplished. An apparatus applying a more advantageous approach is disclosed in claims 3 and 4, whereby a user needs to operate only one button, namely the button which controls the function to be accomplished, the operation of the button being in an iterated or prolonged way, respectively.
A function which is common to many devices is the standby function. The approaches of claims 3 and 4 pose a problem for this function, because as soon as the main apparatus assumes the standby state, the control means for processing the iterated or prolonged operation of the standby button and the communication means for sending a control command to the peripheral are not operational anymore. Claim 5 discloses an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention which, in addition to the normal standby state, has a semi-standby state wherein at least the control means and the communication means remain active. This semi-standby state is maintained for a predetermined period of time to enable the iterated or prolonged operation of the standby button. After that, the apparatus assumes the normal standby state.
For all systems of devices having a standby state, the invention can be applied to the power-on function as well, as disclosed in claim 8. If both the apparatus and a peripheral comprise a tuner for tuning to a respective one of a plurality of signal sources, the invention can be applied to the tune function, enabling a user to tune both devices to the same signal source, as disclosed in claim 9. Devices which comprise a tuner often feature a plurality of presets, each having a name and being adapted to store tuning data of a respective one of the plurality of signal sources. The invention can be applied to the function for storing the tuning data, as disclosed in claim 10. This enables a user to easily program the presets of both devices in the same way. An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the apparatus is a television receiver and the peripheral is a video recorder. For such a system it is often convenient to have both devices tuned to the same channel, while most users prefer equally named presets to contain tuning data for the same channel.
It is to be noted that WO 96/16512 discloses a switching device for e.g. audio or video equipment, comprising a standby button for putting all devices in the standby state simultaneously. The switching device enables a user to disconnect the devices completely from the power supply by repeatedly or prolonged pressing of the standby button. Hence, the command for switching off the devices, sent in response to the repeated or prolonged pressing of the standby button, does not invoke a function which is similar to the function invoked by the original command, i.e. the standby function. Furthermore, the command for switching off the devices invokes a function of the known switching device, causing it to switch off the power supply of the connected devices, hence no regular function of said devices is invoked.
The invention can be profitably applied to television receivers, but it can be applied equally well to, for instance, radio receivers.